Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Im posting it in this forum because im really not sure what category this falls into. Ok... Im starting a top secret forging project on a dare from my girlfriend. What I need is a material much like that used in electric heating elements. It has to be able to reach at least 2200F rather quickly and it must be tough at that temperature. Not brittle or overly soft. And has to be somewhat shapeable. I cant say much about the project just yet but is there any such material that comes to mind ? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I could tell you, but it's a secret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I do not know of any metal that is not soft nor brittle at 2200F sorry. the material used in the ovens is very brittle. Good luck. have you tried nintendo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I tried heating and forging Nintendo once, it made a right mess of the oven! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Have you tried A36 steel? Fits everything except tough at 2200*F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Lmao pft. Ok. Im not really looking for metal... But it sounds like your thinking what im thinking... Nintendo lol Its only secret because its a bit embarrassing to say im even attempting it. Im expecting ill get some heat for this (pun intended) Yes its a very hot blade. Im only interested out of curiosity to see if it can be done. Im looking at carbon wire that can reach 3000F but it gets brittle. Any typical blade material would be destroyed obviously. Im thinking of ideas like a ceramic blade with carbon idk... Still has brittle factor. Then theres issue of powering it. Im used to forges and typical blade steels but this is something else. It may or may not be possible... Who knows. Ive done more things in my life people have told me couldn't be done. Its got me interested. I know its not typical of something discussed on this forum. But im reading and asking around. I figure if anybody might have a few ideas it would be other knife makers and blacksmiths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 What is the material being cut? How thick is that material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 A36 thats in interesting thought. Im going to look at that a bit more. It gives me an idea or two. Im sure the heat would destroy it but... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 You might start investigating things that get hot but need to be tough---say jet engine turbine blades or space shuttle engine components... As for heating perhaps an induction forge/sheath so as you draw it, it heats up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 You might start investigating things that get hot but need to be tough---say jet engine turbine blades or space shuttle engine components... As for heating perhaps an induction forge/sheath so as you draw it, it heats up! Thats a great idea! I can think of one or two such things. Ill look into that. Theres no specific material to be cut or specific thickness. Its mostly just to see if it can be done but I dont really like blades that are all look and cant perform. Considering the tall order If it can chop a cucumber in half I would be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 not sure why 2200F came up, If 1200F is acceptable you can use H13, it will be glowing red at that temp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 not sure why 2200F came up, If 1200F is acceptable you can use H13, it will be glowing red at that temp 1200 thats not bad either. I was thinking 2200 because I was thinking that would be a good glow but really 1200 would be decent as well. BTW I see you have fenris forge. A while back I was discussing potential names for the forge. One of my top three choices was fenris forge lol. I didnt know you already had that name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I don't know if it will be any help, but we used to recycle old electric heater coils to make feather cutters for arrows. We'd use a simple cone resistor and shape the wire to the feather profile... securing it so that it almost touched the arrow shaft as it was rotated by hand and it would burn all the fletches to the same profile with great accuracy! The wires were NOT sharp... just burned their way through the feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Thats sort of one idea I was thinking about. Looking at high temp carbon heater coil wire. Trying to see if theres a way to perhaps incorporate it into the blade or run it inside a blade somehow... Then theres the issue of a blade material that can handle the heat. It could be that its just not possible but I would like to find out anyway. Keeps me from getting bored lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Are you going to cut butter? Hot knife? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 LoL perhaps of thats the best it can do. Perhaps just heat my coffee with it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 so did you look up electric scalpels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 I did actually yes a while back. Saved a bunch of information on them really interesting tech. I think ill have another look at those. Thanks for the help everyone your input has given me quite a few ideas to try already ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Okay how about laser scalpels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 That is something new to me. I have seen harmonic, electric and thermal scalpels but not laser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 They use them in surgeries. My wife was watching as a surgeon showed his off to a rep... split all of his stitches open and blamed the nurses for it!!! He had it set too high to do what he was wanting to demonstrate! They also use them for eye surgeries... can be programmed to work to complex tolerances not possible with manual controls! Imagine a tool that could cut a leg off... or cut just halfway through the skin of that leg... they exist!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Okay, how about letting us know the basic performance envelope of this secret project blade? Is the blade supposed to function at heat? Are you thinking of ways to perhaps fire a ceramic blade? If you want a ceramic blade it's being done, zirconium silicate is a ceramic that needs high temp sintering but yields a superb knife glass sharp and tough enough to shave lesser blades. It will also take stupid hot temps, you could probably fry potato chips while you sliced them if you could keep it hot. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Nichrome comes to mind. I have some .109" dia rods at home that I am currently drawing a blank on the name, but they are used for heating elements. The main element is nickel. Something in the 80% range. We run a high temp stainless at work that is used on the F16 , it is A286 which also has a high nickel content. I have some bar ends around 6_7" long if you want to forge a blade out. Hasteloy, Inconel, etc are all high temp alloys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Smith Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 You want make a metal knife that holds up to high heat and won't deform? Get a turbine blade--- Have fun straightening it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackcatbones Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 Wow this is great looks like theres a lot more possible options than I had anticipated. This could get interesting. The basic performance envelope is a blade that can glow with heat looking a bit like a blade fresh out of the forge. And can slice at temp... Not thinking of a rugged chopper. No pounding nails with it or anything. A burn of a few seconds is all it needs. Something like zirconium silicate had crossed my mind. Thanks for all the help its a lot more than I had hoped for ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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